Univ. of Tenn Dumpster Fire Thread

The Coaching carousel Thread has turned into the UT Dumpster Fire Thread so I made them there own. Plus I don't want to burn through my cell phone data.

To get everyone caught up, UT has fired Butch Jones and AD Currie, they have been turned down by everyone. Philip Fulmer might have sabotaged the whole process. The owe Tens of Millions in buyouts/lawsuits and their biggest booster is under investigation.

Another source: Tennessee's own people have been ambushing (John) Currie's (coaching search). They shoot themselves in the foot, cock the gun & shoot themselves in the other foot. It's been going on for a week"— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 1, 2017

Sources: John Currie was prepared to hire Mike Leach but university officials wouldn't allow him to do so. Phillip Fulmer has been sabotaging search process in hopes to become Tennessee's AD— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 1, 2017

Can't site a source, but in the other thread someone suggested he was calling the coaching candidates and telling them to turn the job down. However, even if his play is to get in the AD's office, that's a pretty shortsighted move unless he has a candidate already lined up.

So, any recruits from Tennessee, that we should be keeping an eye on? If I were committed there, I would decommitt at this point. Not only do you have no idea who the coach will be, but the whole Athletic Department looks absolutely dysfunctional.

My unsaucy guess is that the most likely flip would be RB Anthony Grant. Though I wouldn't mind going after OL Ollie Lane or DT Jamarcus Chatman, but I doubt it's a very realistic chance with those two.

I have been told by a prominent UT booster that Fulmer along with many donors planned today's events & is not at a bad look towards Fulmer. Haslam had Fulmer fired in 2008. Haslam & Currie planned alone in attempt to hire Schiano & never talked to Gruden or any other candidates.— Dan Harralson (@danharralson) December 1, 2017

So, who exactly is on who's side? Are they setting up for Fulmer vs. Haslam next?

Are you kidding me?! They haven't?!? She barely answers the phones. She's horrible on the phone if she does answer it and she isn't related to Saban or Gruden so she won't get either to be HC. She's got to go! /s

Tangentially related: the guy who owns the gym I go to in Tucson started at the University of Tennessee today to be their Director of Performance (a position that's above the head athletic trainer and works like hand in glove with the AD, football coach and all other major sports). So, now there's no head football coach and no AD. I wonder what he must be thinking-fortunately he's only there for a year as part of his contract. I asked him to wear his VT hat his first day on the job, but he declined. Now that none of his bosses are there on his first day, he should have.

Yea, the only thing I like about Budweiser is their advertising - because of their grip manipulation of the entire beer industry, I never willingly purchase any beer that has ties back to AB InBev, and support independent craft breweries instead.

Been talking to MoD via text this morning. I think what a lot of people don't understand is that the Haslams and their Pilot oil $$$$ run the school. The top university admin are beholden to that money. They had Currie hired as AD because he would be a puppet. All they want is control. The AD the fans wanted after Dave Hart was Blackburn because he would have told the Haslams to get bent.

They had Dooley hired over Gary Patterson because they could control him. He was an up and comer.

Schiano was their guy because he is unproven and had the Penn State stuff attached so they could control him. They never talked to Gruden.

Leach was too much of a wildcard so they torpedoed that hire and Jeff Brohm before that. MoD says Leach had an MOU as well before the Haslams stepped in.

As MoD puts it, the list of HoF coaches that UT has had to pass up because the Haslams couldn't control them is very long.

I'm confused, if Currie and Haslem are on the same side, didn't Currie have a commitment to Leach and Brohm? But Haslem torpedoed it? It sounds like Fulmer torpedoed Leach and Brohm, Currie/Haslem wanted them....right?

I hadn't really thought about it, because I was assuming Currie was doing all the legwork to bring guys in and when he did, the Haslams would kill the deal at the last minute if they didn't like it. As if the Haslams were too lazy to actually think about who they really wanted past Greg Schiano, which is what a lot of the VolTwitter has accused Currie of, which would make sense because Currie is the puppet/minion here.

I know it looks like we're over reactionary rednecks to outsiders, and sometimes we can be, but this whole thing has been brewing for decades. The Haslams took over as main boosters in the early 00s and have controlled everything around the program. (Before then our main booster was Tom Elam who ironically died in 1998). To them , their donation means they get a say. It's been one bad hire after another, when we had much better candidates lined up, all because the Haslams wanted to control the program. For example, we had Gary Patterson begging to come and we hired Lane Kiffin instead. We had another chance at Patterson, and then hired Derek Dooley. On the basketball side we've turned away guys like Jay Wright and Jamie Dixon. It's been a frustaration that's built up for over a decade, it almost came to a head when Currie was hired. The fans were semi split on a Fulmer and David Blackburn (then at UTC), but Haslam picked Currie because he was controlable. He's well known for being impossible to work with. Bill Snyder created a position at Kansas specifically to relay messages so he wouldn't have to talk to him. Then Currie teases the fan base with a big name hire and tries to slide Schiano middle of the night. He was already an awful coach, but the Penn State was the final straw. After that Currie was scrambling. Our chancellor Beverly Davenport, who already had a beef with the Haslams from a previous encounter (they wanted to outsource labor to their buddies and Bev out a stop to it) told Currie to come home and regroup. Instead Currie gets a plane from a Kansas booster (which is why no one knew where he was) and heads west. They track him down, call him in and fire him. Haslams last ditch effort to control the search was putting Reid Sigmon in as AD, Bev stopped that and placed Fulmer in charge. Fulmer was not sabotaging the search, that comes from the Haslam camp. Currie has made buddy buddy with most media members, and that's why you'll see most of them calling us nuts. Also, Jimmy Hyams main source of info is Jimmy Haslam, so any time he breaks something, take that into consideration. I, up for any more questions as this has taken more turns than any soap opera ever has. It's also good to note that Jimmy is looking at a good bit of time in prison with the ongoing Pilot fraud case.

TLDR Version:
Haslam = Bad
Fulmer =Good

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

I find most of this to be unbelievable. No AD or president is giving a donor that much control. No AD uses the plane of a different schools booster. I don't think all these coaches are falling over themselves to coach at Tennessee, an also ran school in SEC east.

The Haslam family isn't just a booster, one of them is the Governer do the state, who actually has to sign off on the coaches salary, because the football coach is the highest paid state employee. So you by default become the decision maker above the AD.

While he doesn't have a direct voice, I guarantee he has input through his brother. After several state representatives came out against the Schiano hire Jimmy Haslam got on the phone with them the next day and told him "I make the hire".

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

As crazy as it appears, I believe it. SEC football is more of a religion than a sport. There has been too much going on for there not to be bigger problems behind the scenes. I am enjoying the chaos because I loathe Tennessee football. Worst fans by far and I have to live and work around them everyday.

This is why I think the Hokie Club needs to proceed with caution. You get serious money and boosters involved and they become the puppet masters. The whole absolute power corrupts absolutely and mo money, mo problems.

Chances are low that Tech will ever end up this bad, but still I believe lessons are to be learned here as fundraising is the driving force of HC now.

I will say this, after being around a lot of alumnus from a lot of different schools, in a professional capacity, there is a ton of professional courtesy shown by fellow Hokies. Sure, there are a few arrogant mouthy ones, but for the most part there is a "I trust you can do your job, so go do it and I'll do mine." Maybe not that simplistically, but you get the idea. Guess what I'm saying is that we meddle less than some other know-it-all fan bases that think they can throw money and have a say.

You can have the big money and be fine, it's the people you have to worry about. We have a couple boosters that give close to the Haslams level, not as much but well into the tens of millions, that stay pretty queit. Charlie Ergen the CEO of Dish network is one as well as one that lives in Bristol that very few know about, mainly because he doesn't care absolutely the limelight like the Haslams.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

That's why Currie was fired. He went off on his own. The same guy tried to play ninja during a coaching search because he thought he was smarter than everyone and ended up with them he worst hire of all time.

The Patterson stuff is a fact. In 2009 Mike Hamilton told him that he was too much like Phil Fulmer and said he was a mid major level coach.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

Ego and entitlement. They think that they are "buying", not donating, so their opinions should matter more than anyone else. When their words are not obeyed, they throw tantrums. Good coaches want control, and usually need it to be successful. Some boosters with really big egos, like Haslam and Schattner, also want that control so they can get the glory and notoriety, so they just cannot leave well enough alone. Haslam sees Papa John all over the TV "running" things in Louisville and he wants that, but he does not know how to step back and let the professionals have the time and freedom to get the job done without his meddling (see also the Cleveland Browns).

Some really big, money boosters also think that having all that money means that they are smart enough to be the real puppet masters running the program, not some head coach "that works for them". Why else would Jerry Jones continue to employ Jason Garrett when no one can point to any evidence that he is actually a good coach. Jones gets away with it because he is the real, actual owner of the Cowboys (note how the Cowboys have improved when Jerry stopped meddling so much and let his son take over some of the heavy lifting). People like Haslam think they own their programs. To them debating owner versus booster is just arguing semantics.

Yeah I understand how boosters work. But owning a NFL franchise is not the same as being a booster. Jerry Jones can do whatever he wants because he can. A booster who professes to want to be apart of something "big" would want a big time coach. I'm not saying he doesn't want control I am simply suspect of the notion that all these big time coaches wanted the job as MOD suggests.

THey can control younger coaches working their way up. A big name coach isn't going to be controlled, he's going to want control. The Haslams have controlled every hire, up until Fulmer was hired, for the past 2 decades. The chancellor and AD make the hires officially, but they are controlled by Haslam. There's a reason we are the most profitable program in the SEC and 2nd most in the country, we don't spend money. We bring in just a little more than Bama, but they spend twice as much as us. The Haslams want controllable people. Chancellor Davenport has been a wild card because shes the first person that has gone against them. They'll try and force her out next, just watch.

I'll add that I don't mean to make y'all think we have big name coaches lining up to coach here. We know we aren't as attractive as we once were due to losses and a mess of an AD. However we still have some of the most passionate fans, some of the best facilities, and some of the best tradition in the country. It's not going to take much to turn it around. A good coach is the missing piece, but that's easier said than done.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

ok, I don't mean to say you don't have better insight on the craziness that's going on than I do, but the logic just doesn't make sense to me.

Haslams want to be part of something "Big"

A good coach would make UT "Big", A bad coach will never make UT "big"

Haslams feel a good coach would have too much control

Haslams block good coaches from being hired to get bad coaches

UT is never "Big"

so the logic is off for me. what control would a good coach have that they covet so much as to undermine their own desire to make UT "big"?

Younger coaches can be controlled because of opportunity I guess. Going back to the Kiffin hire. Had they thrown money into the pot to make a landmark hire then at that point they could have gotten a big time coach for big money.

Because everything boils down to money. I don't care who you are, if you are a coach you get a paycheck from someone. That someone has ultimate leverage. Even Saban at Bama is disposable, because in the end 99.9% of coaches in USA will want that job once he is gone. So the notion that the Haslams, who are providing the money, would not still have control over their fiefdom doesn't make sense. Because that's not how money works.

UT is already Big, the Haslams want to have their name involved and want to be known for controlling it. There's more that goes into college football than just what you see on TV, LSU wen has a College Football Football GM, the first position of its kind. They don't purposely hire the worst coaches, but they meddle in everything and hire cheap conrrollable coaches. It's a fact he called state reps after the Schiano fiasco and told them "I make the hire". The Jerry Jones example is a good one. They aren't good at Sports but they think they are and have a bunch of money.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

So let's not use "big", perhaps you mean relevant. That the Haslams want to be attached to something relevant and want control over that. Certainly UT has not been relevant in a while. So let's replace "big" with relevant and go back to the logic you presented:

Haslams want to be part of something "relevant"

A good coach would make UT "relevant", A bad coach will never make UT "relevant"

Haslams feel a good coach would have too much control

Haslams block good coaches from being hired to get bad coaches

UT is never "relevant"

I also know there is more than what goes on than what you see on TV. Which is precisely why I stated that at the end of the day it doesn't matter what coach you have because someone is writing that check. And I am not disputing that he and his brother didn't say "I make the hire". I can absolutely see that. What I don't get is why they would repeatedly decide to not have a big name coach. That is where the logic fails, and where I think the homerism about UT's attractiveness prevails.

Here's why the Jerry Jones example doesn't fly. Because at the end of the day Jerry owns the Cowboys, so no matter what, no matter who, no matter where... Jerry get his way. The Haslams provide a shitload of money to UT, I get it. But they do not own UT. They own influence. Think of them like Big Oil lobbyists. They control the majority stake of the influence that sways the moves that UT makes. That means a lot, but they still don't own UT. Or else none of this would have happened.

I'll hypothesize this: UT has had some behind the scenes power struggles going on for a long time. The Haslams control the most influence and have been bullying to get their way. Along the way in their steward they have made some shitty decisions on coaches, and likely given how poorly their decisions are, and overbearing their presence is, have dissuaded big name coaches to want or take the job.

Here's what I don't buy. I don't buy that they didn't want a big name coach. I would put money on the fact that they do/did. I don't buy that there is some measure of "control" that a big name coach would have that their money, which would pay for that very coach, wouldn't supersede.

Add to that a fan base that is likewise overbearing enough to use the PSU scandal as false reasoning to openly demonstrate against a coaching hire they don't like, and it all boils down to a situation almost nobody would want to be in. Fulmer carving his way back in and taking control of the AD position will both calm the waters and provide enough credence for a new coach to agree to come in. Because love him or hate him, Fulmer knew how to coach and will most likely give a new coach the base he needs. Which I agree will likely mean less overbearing interaction from the Haslams.

The only thing I can think as to why Haslam's would pass on a good coach in favor of a (hopefully) up-and-comer is if they wanted something ridiculous - like how Phil Knight listens directly to (maybe even makes a few) play calls each game - I can see a crazy booster wanting that level of involvement, but knowing they only get it if they hire someone who they can 'control'.

your mistake is thinking that the Haslams as described by the other poster would intentionally hire bad coaches because 'bad coaches are controllable'. They want a good coach, but also one that will listen to what they say, because they know best for UT football. They just don't want a good coach with a lot of notoriety or influence, because that would be an unnecessary threat to their influence and control. They don't see this as a problem because (according to their assessment) there are plenty of good coaches out there who are 'controllable' at least in the sense that their presence won't erode the Haslams' influence on UT athletics. .

For us outsiders it's pretty clear that running a successful gas station empire has nothing to do with being successful at managing a football program, so we can all see how the Haslams' assessment of coach quality is highly flawed.. even if they can't see it themselves.

It's been one bad hire after another, when we had much better candidates lined up, all because the Haslams wanted to control the program. For example, we had Gary Patterson begging to come and we hired Lane Kiffin instead. We had another chance at Patterson, and then hired Derek Dooley.

Now we can speculate all we want as to what conditions the Haslams require on the coaches they want (calling plays as another posted suggested similarly to Knight in Oregon) but without hard proof of these what I see is that Patterson, according to MOD and several other UT fans I know, was begging for the job. Which means he was good with the conditions the Haslams had, yet they hired Kiffin. Then he came begging again, now surely fully aware of Haslams conditions, and they turned him away yet again for Dooley.

This is where the logic fails and homerism begins for me. As you just said, they want a good coach.

I think your argument sounds reasonable at first glance, but I see one glaring flaw: You're assuming that the Haslams, if they are indeed as influential as MOD suggests, can tell the difference between a good coach and a bad one. I think their mismanagement of the Browns organization demonstrates that they are not endowed with a high "football IQ". It's pretty well documented that offensive coaches are much more likely to get the nod as a head coach than defensive guys. It's seen as a "sexier" pick. That, combined with the ineptitude displayed in the running of the Browns organization, could easily explain why they'd think (erroneously in most everyone else's opinions) that Dooley or Kiffin would be preferable to Patterson.

“You got one guy going boom, one guy going whack, and one guy not getting in the endzone.”
― John Madden (describing VT's offense?)

You and I (and just about every reasonable person) know that the Haslams do not own UT, but try telling them that. They think they do because of their money and are acting accordingly. The Haslams do not recognize the distinction between them and Jones. That is why I also threw out Papa John at Louisville as well as Jerry Jones as examples. Schattner currently sits on the University Board of Trustees and was on the University Board of Athletics until last April. They see him on TV and want that notoriety and control. In their delusion, they believe that they are running the Browns successfully, so they think that they have the expertise to run UT.

The main disconnect here, is that you are reasonable, rational, forward-thinking, and successful. The Haslams are only successful. Applying your logic to them is an exercise in futility. These are people that infamously assembled a navy of super-yachts to ride to UTgames, that they subsequently ran aground. They are the stereotype of "more money than sense".

Again, as posted above. I am not trying to find logic in the Haslams. I am suspect of the UT fan's logic on what the Haslams want and how they turned away good coaches for bad.

EDIT: I am not trying to blast MOD at all. Love his contributions around here. Tough being sensible in enemy territory. I just don't agree that his, and other UT fan's perspective is accurate because logically it doesn't make sense. Not trying to ruffle feathers.

I see where you're coming from. Like most situations, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle. The Haslams do not have a sterling record of good football hires and success with the Browns and most UT fans have a rose-colored view of their school that leaves them susceptible to conspiracy theories to help them rationalize what they are going through.

I can understand MOD trying to shed some light on what looks like pure chaos to us outsiders. I legitimately feel bad for the guy (I never thought you were blasting him). I would imagine that if we VT fans were going through a similar mess, we would probably get a bit defensive and grasp at weird theories too.

I'm not looking for logic in them. I am looking for it in MOD's explanation, which through my MANY conversations with other UT grads is boiler plate the same. Rose colored glasses are thick with this fanbase.

I guess I'm not understanding what makes UT fans so wrong about the attractiveness and/or power of the football program? I 100% believe the situation with the AD, President and Boosters would drive any coach away and I also believe the Haslams can and do want control. Look at Dan Snyder with the Redskins (yes, we've discussed owner vs. booster but ultimately it's money for influence/control). With the right conditions there is no reason a top tier coach does not go to UT. With these conditions the reasons are numerous.

Holly Anderson, previously of EDSBS and UT grad, had a bunch of interesting and funny takes on this including the Haslam angle and how agents for the coaches play into this story.
She also notes that Currie is a UT alum, which just adds another element to the stabbing each other in the back portions of this story.
Any way, link... Podcast Ain't Played Nobody

dudleymooresbooze237
SATURDAY: I'd love Chip Kelly, but it looks like he's gone to UCLA. Oh well, have to settle for Jon fucking Gruden, right guys! Hahaha, crazy, but let's see what this admin has up their sleeve for the presser tomorrow.
SUNDAY MORNING: Schiano? The MRSA meatbeall on the front page of /r/NFL for like a year? WTF?
SUNDAY AFTERNOON: LMFAO we pulled out of the contract because of fan uproar! Now land me a real coach.
MONDAY MORNING: Schiano's fucking suing us?
MONDAY AFTERNOON: So we're doing Kiffin memes? For real?
TUESDAY MORNING: IT'S GUNDY! OMFG IT SOUNDS LEGIT THIS TIME!!!
TUESDAY AFTERNOON: That mullet wearing mother fucker used us again.
WEDNESDAY MORNING: Brohm! Maybe not a household name, but a goddamn good coach! And they're already inking the deal!
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON: We ran him off by trying to fucking renegotiate the deal? And who in the living fuck is Dave Delorean?
THURSDAY MORNING: Phew, didn't want that Dave dude anyway. So now we're down to Les Miles, Tee Martin, or Lane Kiffin. Huh. That's unexpected.
THURSDAY AFTERNOON: AHOY MOTHER FUCKERS! AVAST ME GODDAMN VOL ARMADA! I'M BUYING A GODDAMN PARROT AND NAMING IT SMOKEY!
FRIDAY MORNING: Fuck football.

Growley II told me and Uga (12? what number are they on now?) confirms - Smokey's already reserving a room at the SPCA. He's done with this shit and is going to take a chance on the open market as a free agent.

Yes by Haslam. Who picked Currie to be his puppet AD. Whom Fulmer conspired against and subverted all the coaching selections. And who now will be back as the new AD. Who will then chase Haslam out of town, presumably.

So basically, this glorious parody of a coaching search is what happens when you think you are (>=) 'bama & UF, but you are really (<=) Kentucky & Vandy.

Hardest hit: all my neighbors here in Tn.Biggest winner: some may say the rest of the SEC, and Va Tech due to recruiting battles... but there is no doubt in my mind that the one person who has gained the most from this is TKP's very own hokiegirl. Every day this goes on must be like Christmas for her.

I'm just so thrilled that Tennessee is finally being exposed for what it is and the rest of the nation can hate and laugh at their arrogant, entitled fans with me. Not many people at the far end of SWVA are UVA fans so I don't 100% how they act, but I can guarantee that Tennessee fans are x1,000 times worse. "FEELS LIKE 98!" 😂

"Tyrod, looking desperately, now throws it deep, has a man open, CAUUUGHT! Danny Coale, all the way!"

I have 3 favorite teams. VT, Kentucky, and whoever the hell is playing Tennessee.

This sounds a LOT like me about 6 years ago...
"I'm just so thrilled that [Penn State] is finally being exposed for what it is and the rest of the nation can hate and laugh at their arrogant, entitled fans with me. Not many people at the far [middle] of [Pennsylvania] are UVA fans so I don't 100% how they act, but I can guarantee that [Penn State] fans are x1,000 times [holier than thou]."

One name I am surprised we haven't heard, and maybe they reached out and found no interest, but I would have thought with all the Homerism that they seem to be entranced with, not at least entertaining Peyton Manning, even lacking coaching credentials, is someone I would have thought would have been on their list.

Rumors have said that Manning was involved in vetting Schiano and approved of that hire

It's more than rumors. Jimmy Hyams, respected Knoxville sports reporter, has reported this very publicly. I heard him report it on local Nashville sports talk. He said Schiano was decided on by Haslam, AD Currie and Manning.

This would in no way surprise me. I'm a Broncos fan, and the guy was running the place for the 4 years he was here. Covered up a lot of problems with our coaching especially on the offensive side of the ball because it was fucking obvious that Peyton was in charge of the whole circus. After he left we've slid into near Browns (coughHaslamcough) levels of incompetence.

I was pretty mouthy about expecting him to immediately go into coaching, but I guess I'm not surprised that he hasn't given his ownership aspirations. He's probably the only very recent player that I can think of in whom I would have total confidence as an offensive coordinator, college or pro, despite no 'formal' coaching experience. At the end he was so broken down that I could probably throw the ball farther and more accurately then he could, but he understands football so well that he won a super bowl without being physically able to get the ball outside the numbers.

The only thing....and it's really just asking for too much, I know....the only thing better is if Tennessee had hired Herm Edwards.

Because you are right, Herm will be a complete disaster at ASU. Complete. They may win a game or two that will just give him more momentum, but he seems totally out of his element. Nothing good can come from that unless it is the sheer entertainment value for everyone else.

The problem is that nobody cares about ASU in the first place. If Herm was at UT........that would be like snorting cake mix off a supermodel's body.

I'm not surprised. You can't just refuse to change your offense for over a decade. Even Beamer tried to change his offense. The attempt(s) were poorly executed, but he made an effort. Les did not such thing. On top of that, he's in his 60's. Best case is you hire him for 5 year with a coach in waiting in place.

Les Miles is out, per Brett McMurphy on Twitter
Tee Martin has engaged with Fulmer, but his move will be lateral, i.e., he would be OC. also McMurphyNo current head coach wants the job, so Fulmer has gone to DC's, since Tee will most likely be the OC. per multiple sources
They tried getting Norvell out of Memphis, and he signed an extension. per Memphis twitter

This was all on twitter between Bruce Feldman and Brett McMurphy over the last few days. McMurphy is doing the lord's work on this, and he's unemployed.

Sooooo... I'm confused. If Tee Martin is going to be the OC, and (per below) no current HC wants the job, and because of that they are looking at current DC's from other schools... Does this mean that Fulmer is going to be the de facto head coach??

I'll say it again: Hoke will likely be their head coach. I'd guess one year, maybe two max for contract. This tire/dumpster fire will burn for awhile. UT will eat this, let ashes settle, and give the old college try once again.

My friend who is a UT alum is actually happy this is all happening. He wanted Butch and Currie fired, and thinks Fulmer will be a great AD, and thinks it will unite the fanbase and that nothing negative will come of this. Like HokieGirl said above, they are clinging to their conference pride and are blinded thinking their reputation supersedes all of this madness.

90% of the fan base is more united than we have been in years. Butch was an awful coach and Currie was a puppet. Fulmer in power means the Haslams lose a little bit of power and we get a real Vol in to run things for the first time in a long time.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

At this point I'm not sure anyone will. There were multiple P5 openings this year with not a lot of quality coaches on the market. He wasn't hired by any of them. Maybe he is Bud 2.0 when it comes to HC positions.

one game I was watching, he straight up turned around and shoved the "hold-back" coach that was trying to keep him off the field. Thought he was going to take a swing at him or something.

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..

The ultimate "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" move. Phil Fulmer, of all people, hires an Alabama boy to save the Vols program. He better have gotten this right, or the torches and pitchforks will come out for sure.

Tennessee fans are much more forgiving than people in the national media would make you believe. We sat through 5 years of Butch Jones on the heels of Derek Dooley. We've had some idiot coaching and people in powerful positions making idiotic descions and it took us 10 years to finally snap. Not many fan bases will sell out a 102k seat stadium over and over for a terrible football team.

"Give me a thousand Tennesseans, and I'll whip any other thousand men on the globe!" - Andrew Jackson

Can't wait for the local food lion to start selling cookie cakes with "Pruitt Blewit!" written in frosting

Warning: this post occasionally contains strong language (which may be unsuitable for children), unusual humor (which may be unsuitable for adults), and advanced mathematics (which may be unsuitable for liberal-arts majors)..